


To Protect

by Hibari1_san



Series: SASO 2017 : Bonus Round 2 [1]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, First Meetings, Fluff, Knights - Freeform, M/M, Middle Ages, Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 12:10:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11313108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hibari1_san/pseuds/Hibari1_san
Summary: "Square B1 : prince and knight au"





	To Protect

**Author's Note:**

> For terrencelovesyou
> 
> Major Tags: None  
> Other Tags: None ? Mixing rituals from different countries in the Middle Age lol
> 
> I get SO carried away everytime it's about KagaKuro lol It was the call of the OTP and I've answered it. (I feel so weak lol) Well, I hope you'll enjoy :3"

The first time they had met was when the King and his heir had come to inspect their new and promising recrues. Kagami remembered that day clearly.

It was in the morning, just after practice. They had had just the time to put all of their equipment back when they had heard the trumpets and their instructor had urged them to go put themselves properly in line for the royal visit. Kagami had been facing the sun so he hadn’t gotten a clear view of neither the King nor his son when they had arrived. Nonetheless, he had stayed still, like it was expected of him as a knight in training. However, he had made an extra effort to concentrate and listen to the conversation his superior was having with their visitors.

Formal greetings were made, and then a more casual conversation started when he heard the King enquire himself of his instructor’s family and had Kagami not been subject to the blazing rays of the sun, he’s sure his eyes would have widened and his eyebrows risen in surprise. He had heard of the kindness of the King, it was legendary after all. But it was still the King, and sometimes, when it came to the Royal family, words seemed to take on a different meaning, and indifference - or lack of cruelty - could be perceived as kindness from their part. Kagami wad pleased. He suddenly felt really glad to have enrolled at their service. Unfortunately, he had been too busy patting himself on the back for not listening to his aunt to notice that, in his inspection, the King had already reached him. He could feel the looks but the sun was still blocking his view, and in an intent to save himself from answering a question he hadn’t heard, he just blabbered.  
  
“I’m sorry Sire, but the sun is bothering me.”  
  
The field felt silent and Kagami started fidgeting, wondering if that had been some kind of offense he could lose his head over. Just at the moment he had been about ready to fall to the ground to beg for his life, a ringing sound similar to one of a bell resonated. Kagami had never heard anything so melodious before and his body instinctively relaxed at the beautiful sound. It must not have been a particularly common one, because he could had sworn he heard the King gasp.  
  
“Tetsuya ?”  
  
He then heard footsteps so very light that he would have missed them if he had not been listening carefully. They came to an halt just in front of him and the beautiful sound came back.  
  
“What is your name, the tall one with the red hair and weird eyebrows ?”  
  
Kagami just had the time to stop himself from replying back, but it should have still shown in his demeanor because what he now knew had been a laugh resonated once more.  
  
“I’m Kagami, Your Highness. Kagami Taiga.”  
  
“Kagami.”, he said back, like tasting the name on his lips.  
  
Not knowing how to reply, he just nodded.  
  
“I’ll grant your request. As a special favour for brightening my day. You can step forward. It should be enough to stop the sun rays from bothering you.”  
  
Kagami bowed and yelled “Thank you, Your Highness !” before stepping forward. He stopped as soon as the sun rays left his face and it took him a few moments for his eyes to adjust. When he could finally see what was in front of him, he was greeted by the sight of an angel. That had been the very first word coming to his mind upon seeing the small boy - _the Crown Prince_ \- with pale skin, light baby blue hair and matching big round eyes, lips curled up in a gentle smile. And Kagami had never felt the urge to protect someone this much. He was about ready to put his right knee to the ground, bow his head and pledge allegiance to him until death, and Kagami oddly felt that it sounded like a proposal.  
  
His instructor spoke up at that very moment, cutting his train of thought.  
  
“So, as I was saying, Sire. This is our best recrue. He’s only a squire, but he can keep up with some of the knights already. He also has a strong sense of justice and is brave. However he’s still a kid so he’s quite hot-headed. Well, nothing that can’t be fixed as he grows taller and wiser, Sire. He has a bright future ahead of him. If you asked me who I think will be head of the garnison in a few years, I’d bet everything I have on him.”  
  
Kagami blushed hard at all the praises. He was keeping eye contact with the Prince all this time and saw the way he looked at him pensively, as if pondering whether the knight instructor was telling the truth or not.  
  
“And from which family is he ? I don’t remember hearing of the Kagamis before.”  
  
Kagami tensed at the King’s question and even his instructor seemed slightly nervous when he answered.  
  
“He’s not from a noble lineage, Sire.”  
  
Kagami was almost sweating at that point. Though it wasn’t required to be from a Noble family to become a knight in this land, it was still uncommon, and he could almost feel how the atmosphere tensed while waiting for the King’s reaction. However, much like the first time, the release came from the Prince who promptly turned back to go to his father and exchanged a few words in whispers with him before a field of bewildered squires and their knight instructor. The King widened his eyes and uttered a loud “What ?” and the feeling of confusion deepened. They kept talking for a few more awkward moments until the Prince stepped back. The King kept looking at him, resigned, sighed and called for the instructor who came to him slightly unsure as to what had taken place. The King just whispered a few words to him and this time, it was the knight’s turn to yell “What ?!”. The King didn't even lift an eyebrow at the reaction, like he was expecting it.  
  
“So, I entrust this matter to you, Aida. I have to go back to more pressing matters now so I’ll take my leave. My son will stay here to see through this affair.”  
  
The trumpets resonated once again while the field bowed his head in respect. After his departure, all eyes fell on the knight instructor.  
  
“Kagami !”  
  
The redhead instinctively straightened and yelled “Yes, sir !”  
  
“From now on, you’ll be assigned to Prince Tetsuya’s guard, at his personal request.”  
  
The other squires gasped audibly at the words, and comically, it was Kagami’s turn to utter “What ?!”. He immediately turned to look at the Crown Prince, a few meters away from him, and he realized that he had been staring back at him the whole time. The Prince then only turned away, giving him a sign to follow him and made his way back to the castle without waiting to see if he was being followed by Kagami or not. The squire stood still, shocked, and only thanks to a smack on the head by the knight Aida and an angry “Go, moron !” made Kagami move, jogging to catch up to the Prince.  
  
Once he caught up to him, he was greeted by an amused smile.  
  
“I almost waited, knight.”  
  
“I’m not a knight yet, Your Highness.”  
  
“Yet. But I have no doubt that you will be one. And soon. In the meantime, I have a request.”  
  
“Anything for my Prince.”  
  
He stopped to look at him and Kagami briefly wondered if he was being too honest for comfort.  
  
“I want to call you Taiga. And in return, I want you to call me Tetsuya.”  
  
Kagami was rendered a blabbering mess.  
  
“But… Your Highness… I couldn’t possibly… Your Father would not -”  
  
“What my father doesn’t know can’t hurt him. It would be just between the two of us. Like a secret. We’re both the same age after all. I like you and thought that we would get along. Would you be my friend, squire Taiga ?”  
  
Kagami should have said no. He didn't have a great understanding, or knowledge for that matter, of all of the rules concerning the Royal Family and what was and wasn’t acceptable to do around them, or with them, but he had the feeling that calling a prince, moreover the Crown Prince, by just his given name would fall in the category of the big “Don’t”s. He prepared himself to refuse. He really did.  
  
“Of course, Tetsuya. I’d be happy to be your friend.”  
  
The Prince’s eyes widened, apparently not expecting the positive answer either and then, his features changed to display the most gleeful expression on his face and Kagami knew at that time that there was no way he would ever be able to tell him “No”.  


* * *

  
  
Kagami knew that he had already gone through the worst. He had spent an entire night fasting and praying which made Tetsuya laugh in his face when he had seen him the following morning for mass since he knew perfectly well how much he liked his food and his sleep . Luckily, it had been brief and quite low so he doubted anyone else had realized. He felt slightly jealous that the coronation hadn’t required him to go through any of this.  
  
_That’s royalty for you._  
  
After the mass, Tetsuya stood at the altar, looking very regal with his velvet red cap and his crown. He smiled gently at him as he made his way to him. Kagami was starting to feel anxious. He had been waiting for this moment since he had looked at him for the first time when they had been barely 14 and now, his dream was coming true. He took step by step carefully, knowing that it was very likely that he would trip on the carpet. He soon came to the intended place and immediately kneeled in front of his King. He hardly payed attention to the rest of the ritual as his heart beat so loud he could hear it thumping in his temples, reciting his Oath by heart when the silence made it clear that it was his turn to talk. He almost jumped when he felt the sword rest on his right shoulder and he stilled himself when it passed above his head to go rest on his left one. As soon as the sword fell, he stood up and looked down to stare inside Tetsuya’s eyes. He had been bracing himself for this moment : the Dubbing. Kagami was waiting for the blow, thinking that the King would not hesitate to slap him extra hard, because Tetsuya was a little shit like that. But the moment dragged on, and it was getting obvious that everyone was starting to feel confused. Then, the King moved.  
  
The first thought that passed through Kagami’s mind when lips pressed against his cheek was that they felt softer than he had imagined, if slightly wetter. The second was wondering whether it was acceptable as the Dubbing. Finally, as the situation sank in, he wondered whether the loss of his father had turned Tetsuya _crazy_ to do so in public.  
  
Ignoring the rest, Kagami included, the King took the sword and shield from a bewildered _Priest_ , and offered them to him.  
  
“I dub thee Sir Knight.”  
  
He still accepted them : he was shocked, not crazy unlike Tetsuya. And as he stared at his King with the mischievous gleam in his eyes, Kagami couldn’t help but grinning back and he wondered whether it’d be acceptable for them to ditch the celebrations to get some alone time.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading it ! I hope you enjoyed :3
> 
> This fic is crossposted on Dreamwidth.


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